Min Aung Hlaing is set to attend the sixth Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit in Bangkok, Thailand, in person today. The 6th BIMSTEC summit, which includes leaders from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, Nepal and Thailand, ends Friday.
The regime leader is set to discuss cooperation with the international community to “effectively carry out rescue and restoration works after the earthquake,” regime media reported on Wednesday. A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on March 28.
A state of emergency was declared in the six hardest hit regions, including Sagaing – the epicenter of the earthquake – as well as neighbouring Mandalay, Magway, Bago, Naypyidaw, and Shan State.
On Wednesday, the regime announced a ceasefire from April 2-22, following a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire from the National Unity Government (NUG) from March 30 to April 12.
The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), and the Arakan Army (AA), announced “a unilateral humanitarian pause” for one month, in effect April 1-30.
The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) halted its offensive in Kachin State from April 2-22. All ethnic armed groups, including the People’s Defense Force (PDF) under the NUG, stated they would only defend themselves against regime attack.
Min Aung Hlaing said that regime forces would respond if rescue teams, which have been carrying out search and rescue operations since the earthquake on March 28, come under attack.
“[Regime forces have] never attacked any ethnic armed organization first but have responded when [necessary],” said Min Aung Hlaing at an earthquake donation ceremony in Naypyidaw on Tuesday, when the regime claimed to have raised over 116 billion MMK ($2.6 million USD) in earthquake relief.
Regime spokesperson Zaw Min Tun confirmed that pro-regime forces fired at a Chinese Red Cross convoy in Nawnghkio, northern Shan State, on Tuesday. Nawnghkio is located 75 miles (121 km) northeast of Mandalay. No casualties were reported.
The convoy was allowed to continue on to Mandalay, where Red Cross teams have been providing earthquake relief.
Fifteen countries, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, India, Singapore, and Russia, have provided humanitarian aid and relief items to Burma in the wake of the earthquake. Over 1,500 international rescue team members from these countries have been carrying out search and rescue missions.
The regime states that 2,886 have died and 4,639 have been injured with 373 still missing since the earthquake. DVB data states that the death toll stands at 3,866 with 2,462 bodies recovered in Mandalay by Wednesday—over 63.6 percent of the national total killed. At least 5,455 people were injured and 719 others are still missing as of April 2.
